Tuscan Sun
by sofiascribbles
Summary: She would be like princess Ann in Roman Holiday, only she'd be in Florence and she wouldn't cut all of her hair off. As much as she loves Audrey's pixie cut, it's not something she could pull off. Blair/Chuck, based off the novel 'A Room With A View'
1. Chapter 1

She collapsed into the fine silk bedspread, sighing with exhaustion and a hint of annoyance. After spending a restless nine hours on a flight trying to ignore the constant chatter of her blonde companion Blair was exhausted. Now, after finally locating the Hotel Bertolini amongst the horribly repetitive, winding streets of Florence one would assume she would receive her well-earned slumber, but to no avail.

"Serena", she interrupted her best friend, "Can you just be quiet? We'll sort everything out a dinner tonight."

"It's not every day you're in Florence, B. We asked for a room with a view of the Arno, it isn't fair that we don't get one."

At this Blair rolled her eyes. She couldn't care less about having a view and wasn't planning on spending much time in the hotel anyway. Though she'd been to France many times, Italy was one of the places her travels had never taken her; therefore she wanted to see as much as possible during her time there. Daydreams of looking over the Arno and examining the fine art in Santa Croce filled her mind instantly. She would be like princess Ann in Roman Holiday, only she'd be in Florence and she wouldn't cut all of her hair off. As much as she loves Audrey's pixie cut, it's not something she could pull off. Freedom and Italy and epic romance bubbled in her brain, the hint of a smile tracing her lips. Oh, the things Italy does to a girl.

"Blair! Have you been listening to me at all?"

"What?"

* * *

"Chuck! Hey! This is Dan Humphrey, he's a writer." The handsome young man gestured to a scruffy brown-eyed Brooklynite with an unruly shock of brown hair on his head. Chuck scowled at the sight of him.

"Nathaniel, I'm Chuck Bass. I came to Florence to look for investment opportunities, not associate with ill-bred tourists."

Chuck Bass, the boy billionaire. Chuck Bass, the boy who was orphaned at age 18. He told people he was in Florence looking to expand his Dear Deceased Daddy's investments abroad, but really all he needed was an escape. The anniversary of his father's death was fast approaching and he decided he needed to be out of New York for a while, no doubt with his best friend Nate by his side. So far he hadn't been impressed with Hotel Bertolini, the decor was dated and the maids mediocre, though the impressive view of the Arno from his suite was certainly promising. If Humphrey was anything to go by the guests this place attracted weren't ideal, but that was nothing he couldn't fix.

"Now, since I'm here, I think it's time we go to dinner." He then directed his gaze to Dan, "I guess we'll see you around."

"Actually I was just on my way to eat now." Dan smiled, and Nate returned the sentiment. Chuck wasn't so generous.

The dining area at Hotel Bertolini was certainly impressive, a large archway leading to a grand room with high ceilings and numerous large tables scattered across the floor. They were seated at a table with two young women on their first trip to Italy too: one tall, blonde, and leggy; the other shorter and more petite, with large chocolate-brown eyes and soft chestnut ringlets framing her face. Chuck felt a fluttering in his stomach. He must have gotten food poisoning from the plane.

"Hi!", the blonde one piped cheerfully, "I'm Serena, and this is Blair" she said, gesturing to the brunette beside her who offered a forced smile.

"Nate Archibald" replied Nate, blue eyes sparkling and lips pulled up into a warm smile. "And this is Dan Humphrey, did you know he's a writer? He just had a piece published in the New Yorker"

"Oh my god, I read that just the other day. It was amazing!"

"Thank you" Dan stuttered, blushing at the praise he was receiving.

Chuck took no interest in Serena though, instead focussing his attention on the delicate girl beside her. From her facial expression he could tell she was enjoying this just about as much as he was, glaring at her flirtatious friend. The fluttering returned and he realised how beautiful she was, despite the scowl on her face. He'd never felt anything like that towards a woman before, usually he wouldn't spare them a second glance - they were simply there to fill his sexual desires. She tucked some hair behind her ear and turned around, eyes meeting his. In an instant he squashed any emotions he had, killed the butterflies. He wasn't that kind of person. Instead, he held her gaze and smirked.

"And you are?" she asked, intrigued by the dark mystery man in front of her.

"I'm Chuck Bass."

* * *

Dinner was a continuous flow of conversation, the small group falling into a comfortable pattern as if they had been friends for years. Neither Chuck nor Blair talked very much, both uninterested in the trivial discussions of their counterparts. Nate took the opportunity to comment on the absolutely splendid view from his room, nudging Chuck for reassurance.

"You're so lucky! Blair and I asked for our room to have a view but it doesn't."

"Well you can have ours then! We really don't need our view, and I'm sure you'll appreciate it more than us." Nate offered kindly, ever the gentleman.

"Oh we couldn't do that to you, really, it's fine"

"No, it really doesn't matter. We don't care about having a view, you do. Right, Chuck?"

"I for one quite enjoy the view" Chuck could feel Blair's eyes on him as he spoke.

"Nate", Blair called, "I think that's a great idea. I was so disappointed when we didn't get a view"

"But you-" she silenced Serena but digging her heel into her foot. An angelic smile was plastered on Blair's face and she looked over at Chuck, as if challenging him. He had to say, he was impressed.

"You know what, maybe I spoke too soon. You ladies deserve the view much more than we do" He winked and Blair could feel her heart beating loud in her chest.

"Great! That's settled then."

* * *

**Congratulations if you made it this far. I know this is short, but I promise to you the following chapters will be longer. I just needed to set the scene before diving into the story. I was studying the novel 'A Room With A View' by E. M. Forster (I suggest you read it straight away) in English when this idea just sprung into my mind and has refused to leave since. This story is going to be loosely based off that novel, the general storyline will be that of the novel but I plan to change things up a bit to make it more true to the characters. That being said, this is my first time writing a Chuck and Blair story and I desperately hope I do them justice. I also haven't written any fanfiction in a long time, so excuse me if I'm a little rusty. Generally I have a rule where I won't post a story until I have at least three chapters written but I just couldn't wait to post this (#YOLO?). School is horribly busy for me right now so I plan to upload the first chapter in a week's time, fingers crossed that happens.**

**Please review!**

**- Sofia**


	2. Chapter 2

After dinner Serena and Blair had retreated to their new rooms, both were larger in size than the ones they'd had previously and had much more extravagant decor. Blair stood by the large window gazing out over the view. The pane of glass spanned from waist height all the way up to the ceiling, capturing the magic of florence in a simple white frame. Night was when cities really came alive, lights from Ponte Vecchio danced across the Arno, bringing life to the large body of water. It was why she loved New York so much, besides being the place she had grown up, all the lights and the never-ending streets just held a certain kind of magic and hope. A harsh pounding echoed around the room and her petite frame jumped before turning toward the source of the noise.

"Chi é?", she said with caution. It was Italian for "Who is it?", a phrase she had learnt from her guidebook on the flight over - she didn't want any strangers entering her room at night.

"It's Chuck Bass, open up"

The man from dinner? Heat rushed to her cheeks and an odd feeling bubbled in her stomach, she flung open the door. He stood tall and proud, a smirk gracing his masculine features. Maybe it was just the dim lighting but she doesn't remember him being this handsome.

"It seems as though I forgot something," his eyes made contact with hers, "do you mind?"

"Make it quick" she countered, stepping aside. She couldn't show him that her insides were turned to mush just by his presence. She was Blair Waldorf, she didn't pine after men.

He charged toward the stark white bedside table on the left side of the bed, opened the top draw, and began rummaging. It took no more than a second for him to find what he was looking for and in one fluid motion he grabbed the dark box. He stood up and with playful eyes examined the prim and proper brunette waiting by the door, then proceeded to retreat from the decadent room. He intentionally brushed his arm against hers in his escape, dropping the mystery box in the process. Her eyes went wide as a collection of condoms sprayed across the plush carpet beneath her feet. His eyes danced, following each little package the floated its way to the ground.

"I don't have a girlfriend, in case you're wondering." His eyes darted up to hers seductively, challenging her.

"You must have a pretty great time on your own then" she quipped.

His eyebrows shot up, "Oh don't worry, I have plenty of company. There's just something about these Italians... "

"You're disgusting" she scowled.

"You know you love it."

She gawked, before pushing him out into the hallway and slamming the door in his face.

"I guess I'll see you 'round, Waldorf", he called through the heavy door dividing the two.

"I wouldn't bet on it, Bass"

* * *

"I don't care how much of a hangover you have Serena, you are getting up right now to explore Florence with me!" Blair yelled, banging on the door to her companion's room. She didn't care if she woke up the entire hotel - this was her first day in Florence and she needed her bestie by her side as she marvelled at the sight of Santa Croce and had lunch in the Piazza della Signoria.

"Like what?"

She jumped. That asshole. Smiling, she slowly turned to face the offender. "Good morning, Chuck. Have fun last night?"

"Not as much as blondie in there had", he nodded his head toward the door of Serena's room.

Her eyes narrowed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He chuckled lightly and licked his lips. "Well lets just say her and Daniel are fast friends... Nate was disappointed, poor guy"

Blair groaned. Typical Serena. With one last glance at a smug Chuck Bass she stalked off, determined not to let Serena ruin the perfect day she had planned.

She stood, guidebook in hand, absorbing the giant structure standing in front of her, the morning sun casting shadows on the intricate carvings of the marble. She knows it isn't the most elaborately decorated church in all of Italy but the sight of it still amazes her. A muted squeal comes from her full lips and she eagerly walks inside. The space inside is vast and she doesn't know where to begin, but before long her eyes are raking over Giotto's beautiful frescoes in the chapels. Cameras aren't allowed so she makes a mental note to buy some pictures of the iconic paintings later on, making her way over to the tomb of Michelangelo. From there she visits the rest of the burial places of the greats: Galileo, Machiavelli, Foscolo, Gentile and Rossini; then takes a seat on one of the church benches. She takes a deep breath, inhaling the cool air around her. Her phone sounds and the tone echoes around the large marble building, causing countless people to turn and stare.

A large official looking Italian man in a tight black shirt approached her, "Mi dispiace signora, ma é vietato usare i telefonini. Deve lasciare"

She must have looked confused because it wasn't long before the man spoke again to clarify what he had just said, this time in a heavily accented and broken english.

Her Louis Vuittons clattered on the hard marble floor as she left hastily, pink-cheeked and embarrassed. Once outside she pulled out her phone to find out who just won themselves the top spot on her list.

_Where are you, B? I thought we were going to take in the wonders of Florence together today? Call me. - S_

Blair stared angrily at the text on her phone, cursing the ignorant blonde she calls her best friend. She returned the phone to its spot in the small pocket in the lining of her bag, ignoring Serena's request to call her back - a little silent treatment never hurt anyone. She took a few deep breaths then smiled to herself, Florence was her dream city and there wasn't anyone, or anything, that could spoil that for her.

* * *

It was barely 11 when Chuck Bass decided he needed to get out of the hotel, explore a little. Nate was enjoying some quality time with one of the maids from room service and the new-found lovebirds were no where to be seen, not that he really wanted to befriend the writer from Brooklyn or sunshine barbie anyway. So Chuck Bass ventured out alone, as per usual. The rough cobble-stone pathways were uneven beneath his feet, and large ancient buildings stood high either side of him. The streets were narrow and long and dark even as it hit midday. They were the perfect place to get lost and to forget and to pretend he was someone else entirely. His pocket vibrated and he reached into it to retrieve his phone.

_It seems our favourite upper east siders have flocked to Florence for the summer. The Italian scenery may be an escape from New York but you'll never escape me. While B is out becoming acquainted with the likes of Galileo and Michelangelo, it seems as though S has gone into hiding. Why so shy S? Fake tan gone wrong or has a different type of Italian masterpiece caught your attention? __Word has it Nate is locked up and loved up in a hotel room, perhaps he and Serena have finally crossed paths or maybe the service at Hotel Bertolini is just top notch. That brings me to our favourite boy Bass, spotted roaming the backstreets alone. Cheer up C, in a city like Florence I have a feeling you won't be alone for long._

_You know you love me,  
XO XO Gossip Girl_

"Not likely" he muttered to himself and pocketed the device once more. Chuck had always been alone, how could one summer abroad change that? And so he continued on his journey to get lost and to be alone and forget about everything - the pain, the hurt, the loneliness - everything. He didn't know where he was, and he didn't know how long he had been walking when he hear loud manly screams coming from his left, Italian words he didn't understand the meaning of being thrown around aggressively. Curious, he charged down the narrow pathway that was the source of the noise.

The end of the pathway opened up to a large piazza, filled with light and buzzing with people. By the fountain he spotted the troublesome group of Italians, yelling loudly in a brawl of some sort. Beside them he saw a shocked-looking Blair, hands clutched to chest and eyes filled with a mixture of fear and surprise. One of the men drew a knife from his pocket and Blair screamed. The sound of her distressed voice irked him, his feet moving to close the distance between them and protect her from the rowdy Italians. When he reached her she snapped out of her trance and he held her hand, dragging the brunette as far away from the men as he could. They were nearly under the shadow of a building at the edge of the piazza when it happened. Blood stained the floor and trickled through the water of the fountain, more screaming and shouting and obscenities in Italian. Blair was tucked into his chest, panting, eyes lost and scared. His own eyes were hostile and wild, staring off into the distance, death brought about memories he'd rather not revisit. How is it could watch a stranger die, but not be there when his own father needed him the most?

"Thank you"

It was a short, breathy whisper but he laid his eyes on the brunette in his arms. "Anytime"

He cleared his throat and she smiled tightly, pulling away to straighten out her skirt and adjusting her tights.

"Um, I-I should probably get back to the hotel, Serena was looking for me earlier and I'm really exhausted, so I..."

"How about I come with you?"

"No, I-" her protests stopped with the raise of his brows and she sighed, "Ok, Bass."

* * *

**A/N: I'm a terrible, terrible person. Really, truly, just terrible. I don't really have any excuses for not updating so I'm not going to bore you, just know that I'm very deeply sorry. The story's actually starting to pick up now and hopefully I'll have the next update or two up before I go back to school next week because it'll be exam season and things are just going to get crazy. If you're reading this thanks for sticking around - it's people like you that keep me from giving up. Hope life has been treating all of you well and now I'm going off to enjoy some delicious pesto and green veg pasta for dinner (yum).**

_**Reviews are love**_

**x Sofia**


	3. Chapter 3

The deep blue of the Arno roared beneath them, the sound of it lapping up against the walls that confined it echoing in their ears. It was late afternoon now, the sun lazily gripping at its spot on the horizon right before it gives into the power of the dark night. They hadn't wanted to return to the hotel so soon after the murder by the fountain, choosing instead to wander through the streets of Florence together. Their pace had been slow and they'd managed to get lost in the winding roads, exchanging laid-back banter that had turned into something else entirely by the time they found themselves in Piazza del Duomo. Blair found herself seeing through Chuck's hard exterior, a defence mechanism used to disguise the vulnerable young man underneath. Turns out the _bass_tard had a heart, and Blair decided she actually enjoyed his company. The Piazza del Duomo had been spectacular and amazing and free from murderous locals but as the sun began to dip further in the sky they knew it was time for them to return to their place of refuge. So here they were just steps below the entrance to Hotel Bertolini, staring out over the wondrous river Arno. Their shoulders just barely touched and a feeling of warm buzzed deep within each of their damage souls.

"Thanks again, Bass. I was frozen in shock, I couldn't move," she let out a shaky breath, "you saved me."

"I wouldn't have know what to do either."

Silence fell upon them once again, the water of the Arno reflecting in both pairs of brown eyes. Seconds later phones beeped and buzzed and the quiet was broken by an alert from the annoying gossip site that documented every event in their lives.

_Spotted: C playing the hero for B - didn't I tell you you wouldn't be alone for long, Chuck? Too bad you didn't have your trusty Bassmobile to whisk your damsel away safely, though luckily for me it means I have proof. B locked up in the Bass's arms: now there's a couple we never saw coming. Buone vacanze, amante!_

"It's getting dark, I should go"

"Blair, something amazing happened today..."

"Don't"

"We-"

"Just don't. I can't be seen with you again"

* * *

"Nathaniel!" Chuck called after his loyal companion, "The checks are signed... we have ourselves a burlesque club for the night"

"Dude, that's awesome!" The corners of the blond's lips lifted in a boyish grin, then proceeded to twist into a familiar state of confusion "But why?"

"We're celebrating my decision to buy Hotel Bertolini, and make Bass Industries an international company."

"We've only been here two days?"

"I don't have time to wait around"

Nate chuckled and clapped Chuck on the back, offering his best friend words of congratulation and encouragement. The moment of celebration is cut short by the ringing of Nate's mobile, he remove's it from his pocket and tells Chuck that it's his mum and he needed to take it, walking out of the room with the promise of picking up where they left off late tonight.

Chuck smiled. He thinks he's mad, insane, crazy. Just months after inheriting the multi-billion dollar corporation from his father and he was already taking the biggest step imaginable, diving into the deep end. There are times when he doubts himself, Bart never believed in him, and he finds himself wondering if he's really worthy of taking on such a larger responsibility. Why did his father have to wait so long to finally trust him with his legacy? It wasn't as if Chuck had never tried to win his father's respect by showing interest in his company - it was just all his efforts had resulting in rejection. That's what led to the acting out, the drinking, the mindless partying. If that was how his father saw him it must've been true. But ever since Bart's passing Chuck had slowly begun to realise how wrong his father was, how he was a twisted and manipulative and toxic man. He secretly hopes to be never like him, to find love and to be kind and to have a son of his own to cherish and to fill with goodness; but there's a Bart-coloured cloud above his head telling him he's not good enough. Witnessing the murder yesterday pushed him to realise that life was short, and that if he wanted to achieve greatness he had act early and get started while he was still young. He was Chuck Bass and he had the world at his feet.

The boy billionaire's hotel-buying burlesque party is a raging, buzzing, success. People from all corners of the globe show up to experience the true Chuck Bass lifestyle: dirty dancing and drinking in a room filled with only the most tasteful of decor. The host himself isn't exactly as enthusiastic as one would assume, sitting alone in the corner, nursing a glass of scotch. Despite all the women and the booze he feels empty... it doesn't help that Nate is no where to be seen, leaving him with nothing but a text of apology and an 'I'll explain everything tomorrow'. He's about to call it a night when perfectly manicured nails tap at his shoulder. At first he thinks it's one of the hookers that's walking around looking to be his 'friend' for the night but as he spins around he comes face to face with large brown eyes and chocolate ringlets.

"What are you doing here?"

"I needed an escape..." she trails off, eyes moving down to scan his body before connecting with his again "That's what this place is for, right?"

"Blair." Swallow. "I thought-"

"Shut up Bass and show me to our seats"

He abides, taking her hand in his and leading her to a plump love-seat situated directly in front of the stage. She's seated next to him, nursing her drink, eyes dancing with the lights and petite frame shuffling slightly to the loud music. Her curls bounce as she moves and there's a smile on her lips and he doesn't think he's every seen something so beautiful. The other girls in the room don't have anything on her. He thinks he should talk to her about why she needs to escape, assuming it was the murder they'd both witnessed just a day earlier. If he wasn't so badly damaged already, he's sure seeing a man get killed would pretty royally mess with his head. Without much more consideration he speaks up, asking her what was wrong and-

"Relief, I feel relief" She cuts him off, eyes never leaving the dancers on the stage. "You know, I've got moves" She adds seconds later.

He smirks and his eyebrows shoot up his forehead. That's when he makes the decision to let loose a little and go along with Blair's little game. After all, a little fun was always the best therapy.

"Really? Then why don't you get up there?" He asks, probing her for more information.

"I'm just saying, I've got moves"

"C'mon you're ten times hotter than any of those girls"

"I know what you're doing, Bass" She pauses to think before finally turning to him, "You really don't think I'll go up there"

He smiles and shakes his head confidently. "I know you won't do it"

Her eyes sparkle and she takes him up on his challenge, telling him to guard her drink. She rises to her feet and struts up onto the stage, positioning herself right in the centre. She looks at him seductively and her hips start to sway from side to side. The first thing to go is the headband, slipped down her shiny brown locks and thrown into the cheering crowd. Her smile is wide and he can tell that she's loving this and by effect he is too because, despite having know her for just two days, he cares about Blair. Next comes her mint green lace dress, the side zipper slowly undone, leaving the material to fall to the floor beneath her. It was a pretty dress, but he's decided he likes it a lot better now. Chuck shifts forward in his seat before finally standing up, mesmerised by the brunette up on the stage in just a cream-coloured satin slip and a killer pair of heels. She's facing her back to the audience now, moving her backside and he thinks she has the best ass he's ever seen. Someone comes up behind him and asks him who she is, and the only reply he has is "I have no idea", because he doesn't, he'd read all the Gossip Girl posts about Blair and she never striked him as the type to strip in front of strangers. She giggling and playing with her pearls and looking at him with cheeky brown eyes so he raises his drink to her, because she definitely won this one.

Twenty minutes later they're up in her room, lips locked and hands all over each other. He's already told her she was amazing about a million times but he tells her again, only to receive a "Just kiss me, Bass" in return. They stumble over to her bed and he pulls away because he doesn't want to screw this up.

"Are you sure?"

She responds by attaching her lips to his again, and he takes that as a yes.

* * *

Serena comes barging in early the next morning and Blair silently curses herself for suggesting they have a key card to each other's rooms after her ill-fated solo adventure the first day. Blair started and quickly moved into a seating position on the bed, adjusting the sheet to disguise any evidence of the sleeping Bass beneath the covers. The blonde intruder looked at her friend suspiciously, ever since their first day Blair had been acting differently. Serena usually pegs it to the murder but every time she tries to breach the topic Blair shuts her down.

"Haven't you ever heard of knocking?" Blair asked venomously.

Serena rolled her eyes and chose to ignore her best friend's antics. Instead, she strode over to the large bed and dropped down onto it next to Blair. The duvet moved and the brunette smacked it down, making a comment about how she hated when that happened.

"What do you say to going out today?"

"Where would we be going?"

"Out into the beautiful Tuscan countryside" Serena responded in a dreamy, optimistic, tone, "Nate and Dan will be there too!"

"Brooklyn and Man-bangs? I think I'll pass"

"Come on, B, it'll just be you and me most of the time, and I bet if you made the effort you'd see that Dan and Nate are actually nice."

Blair let out a sharp breath and closed her eyes - Chuck Bass was going to be the death of her. Oblivious, Serena's sunny expression faltered when her best friend didn't respond to her proposition.

"Plea-"

"Ok!" Blair burst abruptly "Ok! Now go on, go!"

Serena frowned in confusion as she was pushed of the bed, then walked towards the door of the large hotel room. "Alright we're leaving in two hours, so make sure you're ready"

As soon as the blonde had left Chuck lifted the duvet, smirking at Blair. The brunette's response came in the form of a frown and a stern "The events of last night never happened, is that clear?"

"Not as clear as the memory of you purring in my ear which I have been playing over and over..."

"Well erase the tape" she snapped, pushing his body from hers "and get out of here, because I need to get ready"

* * *

**A/N: Yay! New Chapter! And only two days after my last (that's a record for me)! Big, big, big, thank you to all those beautiful people who took the time to review the last chapter - without that feedback it may have taken me a million times longer to write this. Your request for longer chapters has been heard and I'm working on it. This chapter is slightly longer than my last and I was going to write more but I've made the decision to wait until the next chapter - which brings me to the good news that the next chapter is already under way! Hooray! Writing shorter chapters just means I'll be able to update more frequently and I feel it's more suited to my style. The whole idea of the Burlesque club and the sex definitely steers clear of the narrative found in Forster's novel but this is just me putting my own spin on things and trying to keep it true to the characters (and we can't have chair without their love of Burlesque now, can we?). You may recognise some of the dialogue here from episodes 1x07 and 1x08, reason being I am an absolute sucker for Chuck and Blair circa season 1 and whenever a fanfiction includes some canon dialogue the fangirl in me squeals. I also took the whole chuck-hiding-under-blair's-sheets idea from episode 4x08 because, you guessed it, it's a favourite moment of mine. This would be a good time to mention that I in no way own Gossip Girl or A Room With A View, I'm simply using my passion for both to create a strange lovechild. Oh and all grammatical mistakes are my own (in fact I'm looking for a beta so hit me up if you want the gig). I'm rambling now so I'll shut up and go get my pizza out of the oven (my mouth is watering).**

_**Reviews are like a warm cup of tea on a rainy day**_

**Until next time my lovely readers!  
x Sofia**


	4. Chapter 4

Wheels skidded on the loose gravel road, and two town cars pulled up beside an empty farmhouse. From them came four extremely well-dressed individuals, and one that had a slightly less polished appearance. Fields of various different crops surrounded the small group in almost every direction, and clusters of lush green trees and vegetation were scattered about the area. Views stretched out over miles and miles, never-ending patches of green and gold and violet that were topped off by a hint of the city of Florence sitting on the horizon. The entirety of the group was fixated on this view, besides Chuck, who found beauty in a certain brunette dressed head to toe in a pure white ensemble. The warm sun beat down over their heads and reflected off Blair's white clothing, giving her the appearance of an angel only consumed by the brightest of lights. The angel's eyes flutter over to his and she catches him watching, sending him a not-so-angelic stare before turning her attention to the golden girl by her side. If Blair had known Chuck was coming she would've been a little more hesitant to accept Serena's offer, though his hands... no. She wanted Chuck Bass out of her life. He was a womaniser, a bad boy, a disgusting pig, and what Blair Waldorf needed was a prince. Her life plan was already documented in that scrapbook under her bed that she never even looks at anymore because she was a child when she made it, and Chuck Bass? Chuck Bass was never part of those plans. She was to become a princess, and marry only the most handsome of princes who would be gentle, and kind, and loving, and proper. They'd live in a large penthouse on the Upper East Side and they'd have two darling children - one boy, one girl. Her daughter would never be seen without a headband and Constance would be the kingdom in which she reined, just as her mother had. Her son would be the spitting image of his father - handsome and charming - and would be intelligent, attending Yale just as her father had. Blair Waldorf's life would be nothing short of perfect and Chuck Bass wasn't going to waltz in with his addictive natural musk and ruin that for her.

The group began to walk away from the farmhouse and down a narrow, heavily vegetated path that lead to a large open field of grass. Serena declared it was perfect, and immediately set to spreading out a picnic rug, her and Dan giggling as the fabric blew about in the wind. Nate placed the large picnic basket that had been packed by the hotel staff earlier that morning beside the rug and sat down. The picnicking trio marvelled at the beauty of everything and Dan blabbed on about how this would be great inspiration for his novel. Out of the corner of her eye Blair noticed Chuck disappearing into some bushes to their right.

"He doesn't want to join us?" Serena asked.

Nate shook his head and stared after his friend. "Chuck will be Chuck..." He shrugged, "And if you haven't realised already he's not much of a people person"

Serena feigned momentary disappointment, but returned to her cheery self when Dan decided to tickle her. Wiping tears away from her eyes and gasping for breath she directed her attention to Blair, still standing motionless at the entrance to the field. "Come sit down, B. Dan can tell us all about his new book!"

Blair pried her eyes from where Chuck had faded into the vegetation and smiled at her best friend, joining the trio on the floor.

It wasn't long before Blair was bored of the light conversation and small talk being thrown around the picnic rug. She sighed and rose to her feet, catching the attention of those in her company. She tells them that "it's so beautiful here" and she simply must "explore the countryside" and they let her go without much of a fight, resuming their conversation. At first she just walks aimlessly, up small pathways, across fields, through dense vegetation, until she realises that she's looking for him. Even though every bone in her body is trying to resist the temptation of the dark knight there's something about Chuck Bass that causes her to keep giving in. He was handsome and she'd had the best sex of her life last night, but he didn't fit in with her fairytale. He's the one to see her first: a bright beautiful light amidst a sea of deep violets. In typical Bass-man fashion his pursuit is direct, and not even remotely subtle and he runs towards her. Black collides with white in a forceful way and her first reaction is to run, but her body relaxes to the rhythm of his heartbeat and her legs turn to jelly. Their kisses slow, get lazy, and when he gazes into her eyes she thinks that maybe her fairytale could change. Fire ignites within her and this time it's her who attacks him, hungry for more. Serena emerges at the corner of the field, squinting in the sunlight because no, that couldn't be her best friend devouring Chuck Bass. Her expression is confused and nervous because she doesn't know what to do so she runs away, returning to the innocence of the picnic rug.

* * *

"Someone's quite the chipper tourist. Exploration go that well?"

"Well I'm in a good mood... it happens." Blair said, raising her eyebrows at her best friend, "Maybe it's just the magic of the Tuscan countryside"

"I know you Blair and whenever you're this happy it's always because things are good with a boy"

"Please Serena, the only boys I've had any sort of relations with these past few days is Galileo and Leonardo."

"No even Chuck? I saw that Gossip Girl blast of you two"

"Chuck Bass? Ew, Serena, do you remember who you're talking to?"

"Blair, you known you can tell me anything. I'd be the last person to judge."

"With good reason"

"I saw you and Chuck today. In the field of violets"

Blair's eyes widened and she was taken aback by Serena's forwardness. She shifted in the seat of the town car as fear consumed her insides, cursing herself a million times over for being so stupid and falling for that _Bass_hole's tricks again. "I don't know what I was thinking..." she starts, flustered "I mean sleeping with him once maybe you could understand, but twice?"

"Wait, you slept with him?"

She shushes her friend because she doesn't trust the slimy Italian driving them and Serena makes noises of disgust. Blair calls her out for going back on her promise - she'd said no judging - but the blonde kept going on and on about how she thought Blair wanted to make her first time 'special' and sleeping with New York's number one womaniser wasn't exactly the best way to do that. Blair rolls her eyes and bites back venomously, asking Serena if she was disappointed that she didn't get to sleep with him first. The harsh bickering continued until both girls were left fuming, arms crossed and staring out of their windows.

* * *

That night Serena comes into her room to apologise and they order room service and spend hours together just being them. Blair expresses her mixed feelings towards Chuck and Serena's there to guide her though, listening intently the whole time. She offers input, suggesting that if Blair really does have true feelings for Chuck then she should embrace them, but Blair argues that he's probably just a bad habit, a summer fling, and it's too early to know if anything's real. They make the choice to leave for Paris because Blair wants to be far away from him so she can't give in to the temptation, and because the French are much nicer than the Italians. She can also visit Daddy, and Roman, and go shopping, and see all of her favourite museums. Paris was to be perfect, and Bass-free. They flew out that night.

* * *

**A/N: Update! Again! Short chapter though, I know (cries), but it had just come to its natural end and since I'm sticking to the novel I thought it best to leave it here and pick things up in Paris next chapter (which will be a lot longer I promise because there'll be more to write about) because I've reached the end of Part 1 in Forster's novel. This is also the point in the narrative where things get a little rough for our Chuck and Blair but hang in there because everything will be alright in the end. A **_huge** huge HUGE **_**thank-you to all those fabulous amazing people who reviewed my last chapter - if you keep it up you may just get daily updates all the time. And to Eeliab8: your review just meant the world to me! :') (happy tears) and yes, in this story Chuck and Nate already knew each other, as did Blair and Serena but Chuck didn't know Blair, Nate didn't know Serena etc. However they had read about each other on Gossip Girl, sorry if that wasn't completely clear. I should have another update out before Sunday because I am just feeling super inspired to write right now and the ideas just keep flowin', I also start back at school on Tuesday (term 4 year's almost over yay) so after that point the updates won't be as frequent especially because it'll be my yearly examination period (yikes). Anyway though it's a short term and all my work will be done before the time my birthday rolls around (5 days before Blair's we're practically twins, right?). I'm going to shut up now and try to figure out what's on the menu for lunch because I'm starving, and I know it may sound like I eat all the time but I just happen to post my chapters right before meal times. I hope all you butterflies have a beautiful day and eat yummy yummy food.**

_**Do you have a room with a review?**_

**Love and cuddles,  
x Sofia**

**PS - Still on the lookout for a Beta!**


	5. Chapter 5

_Spotted: S and B taking to the streets of Paris. Florence didn't take your fancy, ladies? Or perhaps our favourite besties are fleeing from a person, not a place. Either way it seems Chuck Bass has been left all alone again. Poor C, learning the hard way that money can't buy happiness._

"Dude, ever since the picnic you've been cooped up in this hotel room - it's not healthy" When Chuck doesn't reply Nate moves towards his friend, taking the phone out of his hands, causing an annoyed Chuck Bass to turn around and yell profanities. Nate ignores Chuck and scrolls though the webpage open on the Blackberry's screen. "The Blair Waldorf tag, seriously?"

Chuck purses his lips in a way similar to young boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "I was just looking at Gossip Girl's latest post, I am in it, if you haven't noticed."

"Yeah but you can find that on the homepage"

"I'm just curious, she left Florence so suddenly..." Nate let out a loud burst of laughter, interrupting Chuck. "What?"

"It's so obvious..." Nate started, his lips spread wide in a smile "You like her!"

Chuck gawked, hearing someone say it out loud make everything feel more real. What had happened to him? He was Chuck Bass, for him women were like Kleenex: use once, then throw away. He wasn't Chuck Bass, the guy who had a crush on Blair Waldorf. He considered his options and decided to be truthful with his friend, maybe that way he could finally realise how ridiculous this was and get over her. "Define 'like'" He cringed, waiting for impact.

The only response was laughter from Nate, of which Chuck eventually joined in. It felt good to let loose, relax a little. He hadn't set a foot outside Hotel Bertolini since Blair had left, constantly refreshing Gossip Girl to gather any information on his brief lover. Why did she leave? Was it something he had done? He hopes that it wasn't because he really does like Blair, she's refreshingly smart and witty and there's just something about the cool exterior and the fire below that keeps drawing him in. She was unlike any other girl he'd ever been with, and call him a fool but he felt there was a real connection between them. Sparks and electricity flew with every touch, heat spreading throughout his body in a way that was unfamiliar but oh so familiar at the same time, like returning home after a long holiday, like they were made for each other. Admittedly, Chuck was a bit of a romantic - he dreamed of one day finding someone that would make the pain go away, someone who could be a good mother for his children, a someone his father never had. But the idea of soulmates was something he had always thought to be complete and utter bullshit. For there to be just one single person on this earth that he would be so perfectly in love with both baffled and scared him. Blair was different though. Blair made him believe that soulmates could be real. She understood him like no one else ever could, and matched him in the most perfect of ways. She was intelligent, but not overly so. She could match his wit and combat his humour. She was the reserved, yet rebellious, a woman who could make it both in business and in-between the sheets. Blair Waldorf was perfection. Soon enough the laughter of the two young men faded away, and Nate glanced over at his companion.

"Wow," the blond stated simply, "I never thought I'd see the day when you actually had feelings for a girl"

Chuck ducked his head, unable to wipe the smile off his face. When he's with Blair he feels like maybe he could be the man his father never was and escape the Bass curse, maybe he could have it all: a wife, kids... even a dog. It's the way she looks at him that makes him believe in himself, her dark eyes glint playfully but they're filled with so much respect and awe. He wonders if that's what his eyes look like when he looks at her and he hopes they do. He hopes that he can do for her what she does for him, spark belief, self-worth, hope for a better life. She's his soulmate. He's sure of it.

"You should go after her" Nate interrupts his train of thought, "If you really like her, you've got to fight for her"

"When's the next flight to Paris?"

* * *

She loves Paris. She really, truly loves Paris. It has art, and history, and culture, and everything else that she loves. That's why she's here, in Musée d'Orsay, gazing up her favourite of all of Manet's paintings: _Le déjeuner sur l'herbe_. She likes this artwork not only because it was one of Manet's greatest creations, but because it was scandalous, shocking, and tested the social conventions of the time. That's what art is for: to express oneself, to explore the fire that rages within. With her constantly trying to suppress her bad side, it's a concept she can relate to. She's so engrossed in the art that she doesn't hear the soft footsteps approaching her.

"You like Manet?"

His French is smooth and voice rich, and when she turns she's surprised by how handsome he is. She smiles politely and turns back to the painting. "I love it" this statement is followed by a pause, and she thinks about what Serena would do in a situation like this. She'd been on Blair's back ever since they'd arrived in Paris about how she needed to relax, go on a few dates, find a 'rebound'. Maybe this French mystery Man was just what she needed. Without a second of consideration more she turns back around to face the man still standing behind her. "My name is Blair"

"Louis" he responds, outstretching his arm for a handshake "It's nice to meet you"

When he doesn't say anything more she turns back to the artwork once again, waiting for him to give into the charm of her flawless French. He may be her target but Blair Waldorf didn't pine after men, and she most certainly didn't do all the dirty work herself.

"I've seen you here before" she smirks and sneaks a cheeky glance at him, "You're so beautiful... I had to gather the courage to talk to you"

The flattery goes straight to her head and she smiles widely. This was perfect. "I love the impressionists. It should have emboldened you, no?" her flirty eyes float over to his yet again, "You already know I'm a romantic"

"An American who loves Manet?" he begins, speaking in English this time, a smirk pulling at his lips because now he's the one pulling the strings "It's too good to be true"

"How did you know I was American? And don't tell me it was because my accent isn't as good as I think"

He smiles and tells her that no, it isn't her accent, but that her watch is set to Eastern Standard Time. She examines the delicate time-piece on her wrist and looks up at him when he asks if she's from New York. "Born and bred" she replies, and from there their conversation continues comfortably. Their exchanges are simple and don't get her heart racing like a battle against the Bass, but sometimes simple is good. Simple is what she came to Paris for. Simple is easy. He asks for her details so he can pick her up for dinner at nine, and then he's gone from her sight. The second he disappears around the corner her phone is on her ear, dial tones sounding, and she waits for Serena to pick up.

* * *

His breathing is heavy and uneven, and not because he's been practically running for miles and doesn't have an athletic bone in his body. He's nervous. Chuck Bass is nervous. He's thought about turning back a million and one times already, but the blond by his side keeps pushing him on. Nate may be annoying sometimes, and isn't exactly the brightest of people - but Chuck doesn't know what he'd do without him. He doesn't believe in the concept of unconditional love -and who can blame him, really?- but he thinks this friendship is the closest thing he'll ever have to it. He and Nate had been best friends for as long as he can remember, partners in crime, mates, brothers. Nate's the only thing Chuck's ever had that somewhat resembled family.

"So this is it" He states simply, staring up at the large red banner on the front of _Baccarat_.

"You nervous?"

He scowls "Please Nathaniel, who do you think you're talking to?" But inside yes, he's nervous. How could he not be? In his mind Blair was painted as an image of perfection and represented everything that he wanted in life. He'd never felt like this before.

He takes a deep breath, preparing himself to go inside and pour his heart out to her, but just as he gains enough courage to take a step a certain fuming brunette comes out of the large doors to the restaurant. Her cheeks are flushed and her eyebrows are tweaked in an expression of anger. Right now she's dressed all in black, darkness consuming her aside from the few shimmering embellishments that adorn her dress. She stops when she sees him and pauses for a second, dark eyes trying to figure out if he's actually there. The second passes though, and she scowls at him, yells "What are you doing here?". In a glimmering whirl she turns around and storms away quickly, a constellation of stars slowly disappearing down the dark street. His mind is telling him to run, to chase after her because he didn't come to Paris for nothing, but his feet won't move and it feels like he can't breathe. Nate places a hand on his shoulder, but he shakes it off roughly, aggressively.

"This is all your fault" he points a finger accusingly at his friend, voice rough and hoarse. "We never should have come here." Anger is coursing through him and all he can see is red. How stupid could he have been to actually think he was worthy of a life that had love and happiness and family? To think that what he felt towards Blair might actually be reciprocated? Even his own parents didn't love him, so how could anyone else? A parent's love was supposed to be unconditional, the purest form of love. Blair Waldorf was perfect. In every single way possible. But Chuck Bass was just a sad, lonely, heartless billionaire. He wasn't worth it. He stalks off down the street, shoulders heaving and hands balled into fist, in the opposite direction to Blair.

Nate sighs and looks after his friend with concern, but he knows it's best to let him be alone for a while. He sees silky golden hair bounce in the corner of his eye, and he turns around. "Serena?"

"Nate? I thought you were still in Florence?"

"Uhh... well, Chuck and I decided we wanted a change of scenery too" he shrugs, trying to cover for his best friend.

"Chuck's here?" Serena raises her voice in panic, looking around to try and spot the subject of their conversation"

"Yeah, but he's back at our hotel"

Nate isn't a very convincing liar, but Serena can't see Chuck anywhere so she drops the topic to continue the search for Blair. She asks him if he's seen her and he says yes, point in the direction that she left. Serena thanks him briefly then runs off to find her run-away friend.

* * *

Blair's sitting on the edge of a fountain when Serena finds her. The blonde sighs and walks over to her friend, heels clattering against the pavement.

"I'm really not in the mood, S" Blair says defensively, crossing her arms across her chest. "I mean... of course you get the prince, and I'm stuck with a _chauffeur_"

"Blair, come on..."

"No Serena! Don't you understand? You're Serena Van Der Woodsen, you always get what you want - everything's just handed to you! Just for once I wanted to be the one with the fairytale ending. I wanted to be the one who had it. But I guess that's too much to ask, right? You always have to come on in and hog everyone's sunshine!"

"Bla-"

"I'm not finished!" she yells, and pauses to catch her breath. Her eyes begin to shimmer with unshed tears and her bottom lips shake. "People just love you Serena, even my own mother would choose you over me as a daughter any day. You're beautiful and kind and sweet and bubbly and tall and thin and... how am I supposed to compete with that? You've always been better than me and I always feel like the ugliest, meanest, witch beside you." The tears roll down her cheeks now, and Serena engulfs her in a hug. She's crying for all her insecurities, and all the times that she just wasn't good enough. She's crying because of her 'problem' in sophomore year, all the shame, the need to be completely perfect and never being able to achieve what she desired. She's crying because life isn't fair, she's had to work so hard for everything that she has.

Serena loosens the hug and moves her arms up to Blair's face, wiping away the tears and fixing her makeup. "We can talk about all of this tomorrow, but right now there are two very handsome French men waiting for us at _Baccarat_." She looks into Blair's eyes and smiles, hoping she can convince her friend to return to their deserted dinner date. "Louis really likes you..."

"Yes, he does... and so does Jean Michel for that matter" Blair responds, anger still flaring inside her. "I'll got back... by myself, and I'll come up with some story as to why you didn't return. You tripped, and fell in the fountain" She smiles at her handiwork and begins to walk off.

"Seriously? No one's going to believe that"

"Wanna bet?" She walks forward and pushes her friend into the fountain with as much force as she can muster. That'll teach Serena Van Der Woodsen that not everything can always go her way.

* * *

**A/N: Hello! Sorry for not updating sooner but I went back to school this week and life has gotten considerably more busy. I still pumped out this chapter for you guys though (the longest one yet! wooo!). I didn't really get many reviews for the last chapter, which disheartened me a little, but I'm just putting it down to me updating _too_ soon (if there is such a thing). Talking about reviews, Moonflower26: thank you thank you thank you for reviewing, and sticking by me for every chapter so far :) and thank you for pointing out my little mistake (I really should proofread my work more). To clear things up: I'm writing this story with Blair having lost her virginity to Chuck, and the 'best sex of my life' line was just a mess-up on my part. Sorry for any confusion! I haven't started the next chapter yet but don't expect it for another 1-2 weeks, it's one of the busiest times of the year for me right now and between school assignments, yearly exams, my birthday, formal, and job-searching I don't have all that much time to put aside for writing. Oh well. In the next 4 weeks or so I should be free again! I hope you liked this chapter, it's not exactly my best work but I think it's ok. **

_**Statistics show that reviews increase update rate by up to 99%**_

**Peace out homies,  
x Sofia**

**PS - still on the lookout for a beta, PM me if you're interested!**


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